Overhead-track.



G. A. OLSON.

OVERHEAD TRACK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.8, 1913.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0. FHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITE STAF.

GUSTAV A. OLSON, 0F ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA.

OVERHEAD TRACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14., 1914.

Application filed August 8, 1913. Serial No. 783,831.

To all whom it may] concern Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. QLSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albert Lea, in the county of Freeborn and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overhead Tracks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

My invention has for its object to provide an improved overhead track for litter carriers and the like and, to this end, it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accom iianying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a view partly in end elevation and partly in transverse vertical section, showing a portion of a litter carrier mounted to run on the improved track; F ig. 2 is a side view of the improved track, some parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 00 0c of Fi 1; and Fig. elis a view in section, showing the form of the improved track as it comes from the rolls.

Of the parts of the litter carrier, the numeral. 1 indicates a grooved wheel arranged to run on the improved track and journaled to a depending bracket 2, to which the bucket supporting yoke is secured. The improved track is made up of longitudinally alined sections l having a continuous dove tail channel 5 and flat upper surfaces, on which the grooved wheel 1 runs. These track sections 4 are suspended from an overhead beam 6 by a plurality of hanger brackets 7 of novel construction, only one of which is shown in the drawings. The upper end of this bracket is rigidly secured, by bolts or other suitable means, to the beam 6 and the lower end thereof has integrally formed therewith a vertically extended dove-tail head 8 slidably mounted within the dove-tail channel 5 of the track sections l, for longitudinal adjustment therein. The intermediate portion of the hanger bracket 7 is laterally offsetto permit the track wheel 1 to freely pass the same. As shown in Fig. 2, the inner face of the head 8 is reduced at its intermediate horizontal portion, so that only the upper and lower edge portions thereof bear against the transverse webs of the track sections 4t, thus requiring less trimming of said head to make the same snugly fit within the clovetail channel 5.

The abutting ends of the track sections l are rigidly connected by a dovetail joint plate 9 telescoped into the dove-tail channel of each track section 1-. Nut-equipped bolts 10 are passed transversely through the joint plate 5) and through the webs of the track sections 4, thereby securing the abutting ends of the track sections f against endwisc separation. A reinforcing bar 11 is clamped onto the outer faces of the webs of the track sections at by the nut equipped bolts 10. This reinforcing bar 11 is of substantially the same length as the joint plate 9 but of less width, in order that the flanges of'the wheel 1 may travel over the same. Obviously, the. joint plate 9 and reinforcing bar 11, between which the webs of the track sections 4 are clamped, hold said. track sections properly alined and prevent any twisting of the same.

As is evident, the heads 8 may be applied anywhere within the channel 5 between the joint plates 9, thus permitting the hanger brackets 7 to be secured to the beam (3 wherever desired and also permitting free expansion and contraction of the track sections t without affecting the position of the hanger brackets 7.

The invention also includes a process of forming a track section with a continuous dove-tail channel. which consists of first forming a bar with flanges 12 and with a transversely and inwardly curved web 13, as shown in Fig. 4, and in thereafter straightening the said web, to thereby force the flanges toward each other and form the dove-tail channel 5, as shown in the finished product in Figs. 1 to 33 inclusive. The inner faces of the flanges 12 are parallel or, at least, they have no inward convergence, so that the forming rolls will clear themselves during the process of forming the bar.

that I claim is:

1. A track having a dove-tail channel, and a hanger bracket having a dovetail head mounted within the channel of said track for sliding engagement therewith.

2. A sectional track having a dove-tail channel, a hanger bracket havin a clove tail head mounted within the c' annel of said track, for sliding engagement there with, a dove-tail joint plate telescoped into the abutting ends of two sections of said track, and nut equipped boltsapassed through channel of said track for sliding engagement therewith. v

In testimony whereof I afl iX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

0 said joint plate and said track sections. GUSTAV A. OLSON.

3. A track having a dove-tail channel and Witnesses: a Hat upper surface, .and a hanger bracket JLJE NE CARTER, having-"a dove-tail head mounted Within the GEORGE HURD.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, 1). c. 

